Improvement in wagon-brakes



H. G. COX. Wagon-Brake.

Patented Sept. 16, 1879.

Inven 150T Witnesses ILFETERS. PHOT for connecting the front and hindwheels.

guides on the reach moves the brake-bar E, on r pin holding the block tothe bar, as

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGR.

HARRIS e. COX, OF ALVARADO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WAGON-BRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 219,692, datedSeptember 16, 1879; application filed July 22, 1879.

wagon-brakes and my improvements consist in so constructing the brakethat it may be operated by the back-pullin g action of the horses, ormay be operated by an ordinary handlever, as desired, as is more fullydescribed in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of my inven tion. Fig. is an enlarged view of thebrakeblock. Fig. 3 is a view of the brake-bar attachment.

Let A represent the body, 13 the front axle, B the hind axle, and G thewheels of an ordinary wagon, provided with the usual reach D In whichthe brake-blocks F are secured. These brake-blocks are made in apeculiar shape, being wider at the top than the lower end, rounded offfrom the head, and beveled down ward, as shown, the lower end, a, beingmuch thinner than the upper. Longitudinally in this block is cut a slot,I), through which passes a pin, 0, fitting in lugs d on the brake-bar,this shown. On the lower front edge of the brake-block is formed a metalflange or lug, e, which prevents the brake-block rising higher than thesupplemental or hand brake-bar P.

The side of the brake-bar is beveled off somewhat just above the block,as shown at s, in order that the upper end of the block may tip forwardwhen the hand-brake is applied, and push the lower end of said blockagainst the wheel, as hereinafter described.

Attached to opposite ends of the brake-bar E are the rods forming ayoke, f, which meet at the forward end on a widened or extended plate,G, having a slot, 9, at its forward end. On top of this plate is formeda collar or ring, h, made of a diameter equal to the length of the slot,the kin g-pin passing through said slot and collar, as shown. Thiscollar is encircled by'a band, K, attached to a yoke, Z, through whichthe pin or rod, in connecting the tongue R and hounds, passes. In thesides of the hounds n are cut elongated slots 0, and the pin or rod mpasses through these slots, through the tongue-hounds and through theends of the yoke l, as shown.

As the horses hold back on the tongue in stopping the wagon on goingdown a hill, they apply the brake at the same time. The tongue, on beingpulled back, pushes the rod m back, which is rendered possible by thesaid rod sliding in the slots 0 in the hounds. This action forces theyoke I back, and, as the band on said yoke encircles the collar or ringh, formed in the plate G, and said plate G is provided with a slot, 9,the yoke-rods f, attached to said plate and to the brakebar, push thebrake-bar back and force the blocks against the wheels. The moment thehorses stop pulling back on the pole and put any strain on the tracesthe pole is drawn ahead-and the brake-blocks removed from the wheels.

If at any time it is desired to slow the motion of the wagon or applythe brakes when the horses are pulling ahead, the same blocks may bepushed against the wheels by hand. In order to do this I swing onhangers p, under the hind hounds or reach, a supplemental or independentbrake-bar, P. A lever, L, pivoted on the reach, is connected byrods r rboth with the said bar P and the hand-lever m, the latter being placedon the side of the body. When this hand-lever is thrown forward it drawsthe supplemental bar- P back, and this forces the lower end, a, of thebrakeblock against the wheels, the flanges or lugs e on said blockscatching on the bar 1? and preventing the brake-blocks from slipping up.Thls is necessary in case the horses back, since the peculiarconstruction of the blocks is such that if the horses back the wagon theblocks do not brake the wheels.

If, however, it is desired to prevent a wagon backiu g down a grade, thehand-brake may be applied, when the lugs on the lower end of the blocksadmit of the hand-brake applying the blocks to the wheels without thesaid blocks sliding too far upward.

This brake is adapted to any ordinary wagon or vehicle or street-cars,and can be applied either by the power of the horses or by hand,

as desired. It differs from ordinary horsebrakes in that the wagon maybebacked at any time without looking the wheels, while at the same timethe wheels may be locked, if it is desired to do so. Either the hand orhorse brake may be applied independently.

The peculiar method of joining the brakerods to the yoke on thetonguehounds is such that there is no binding action where the kingboltpasses through, no matter what angle the pole has in relation to thereach. Ordinarily at; this point there is a binding or cramping, unlessthe pole is pushed back in a direct line with the reach; but theconstruction which I have shown obviates all this.

The shape of the brakeblock is such that when the wheel is rolling aheadit crowds the block down in its place and holds it. When the wheel ismoving back the tendency is to lift the block up off the wheel, which ispossible, since the slot allows the block an upward 'motion, and, as theblock is smaller at its lower than its upper end when it rises up, it isfreed from the wheel, and the wagon may, therefore, be backed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The brake-bar E. with its rods], incombination with the slotted plate (i, provided with the collar h andits encircling band K connected to the yoke 1 attached to the tonguehounds, whereby the back pressure on the tongue is imparted to thebrake rod and bar without any binding and without reference to the angleof the tongue from the line of the reach or brake-rod, substantially asherein described.

2. The slotted plate G, with its collar h and encircling band or ring K,titted to move about the king-pin ot' a wagon, in combination with thetongueconnecting yoke I and brake rod and barsf E, by which arectilinear motion is imparted to the plate and brake-rod,notwithstanding the angle of the pole with reference to them,substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

3. The tongue R, with its rod m fitted to slide in the slots 0 of thehounds a, said rod having the yoke l, with its ring or band K, incombination with the slotted plate G, with its collar h, connected bythe rods f with the brake-bar E, on which are mounted thelooselyswingingbeveled brake-blocks F, whereby the backward action of thehorses forcessaid blocks against the wheel for the purpose of locking them,substantially as herein described.

4. In combination with the loosely-swinging brake blocks F, beveled asshown, and having the lugs or flanges c on the lower ends, a, thesupplemental brake-bar P, provided with the lever [i and rods 1* r, forconnecting said bar and the hand-lever m, whereby the brakes may beworked by hand, substantially as herein described.

5. Theloosely-swingingtaperingbrake'block F, with its flange 0, adaptedto have its lower end, n, pushed against the wheel by means of the barI, rods r r, and levers L m, in combination with the brakebar E, withits hereled edge s, whereby freedom of motion is given to said blocksutiicient to allow the lower end to be drawn back, substantially as andfor the purpose herein described.

6. In combination with the tapering slotted brake-blocks I", with theirflanges e, swinging loosely on the pins 0 in the bar E, the supplementalbrake-bar I, with its rods and levers r r l) m, and the slotted plate G,connecting with the bar E by the rods f, said plate having upon it acollar, h, on which moves aring', K, fitted to a yoke, I, connectingwith a pin, m, to the bounds of the tongue It, said pin m passingthrough elongated slots 0 in the wagonhounds 12, whereby the brakesmaybe applied by the action of the horses or by hand, or the brake puton or not, as desired, when backing, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRIS G. COX.

Witnesses:

(tn/is. (l. YALE, FRANK A. Baoons.

